Cameron Clyne’s crazy asking price to billionaire Andrew Forrest revealed

HOW much money was it going to take to save the Western Force? The figure ARU chairman Cameron Clyne asked for at the infamous meeting was eye-watering.

Force supporters during a Save Force rally.

ARU chairman Cameron Clyne told Andrew Forrest it would take $80 million to secure the Western Force’s future at the infamous meeting in Adelaide on August 22.

The insane figure was thrown up because SANZAAR had already agreed to a 15-team tournament and to keep the Force, they’d have to go to a 16-team format and repay all franchises money that would be taken off the table for losing one home game a year each.

Forrest responded by saying he would invest between “$10 million to $50 million” to the Australia Rugby Foundation into professional, women’s and indigenous rugby.

Clyne wanted 80 million from Forrest.

It was a verbal offer.

The ARU requested specifics of the offer in writing by the Force after the meeting that Forrest had pledged to do whatever it takes to save them and that “you should not be doubting his word or his intent”.

In reality the ARU’s mind was made up. SANZAAR wanted 15 teams, and by then the Melbourne Rebels’ ownership had changed hands to the VRU, leaving the Force as the only option to cut.

BLACK HOLE: ARU bankrupt if Force stayed

COMMENT: Why Twiggy’s ‘rugby IPL’ won’t work

But with a government senate inquiry now being held into the process of cutting the Force, all manner of details could emerge about the state of finances at the Rebels and Brumbies.

There have been raised eyebrows after word spilt out that former ARU chief operating officer Rob Clarke, who many in the west believe to be the architect of the Force’s demise, is now helping the Rebels on a consultative basis. We couldn’t reach Clarke for comment.

Meanwhile, Forrest’s plans for a new Indo-Pacific rugby tournament could become a success if he can collaborate with the ARU rather than directly oppose them.

We understand the tournament will not go head-to-head with Super Rugby, therefore creating an opportunity for the ARU and the billionaire to build an exciting competition that could lure back some of Australia’s top overseas-based stars.

The “Force” name is owned by ARU, and Perth team’s coaches and players are ARU employees so they could not defect to a tournament that rivals Super Rugby.

Andrew Forrest is flanked by Western Force players.

IT was interesting to see SANZAAR’s lawyers shaking hands with the ARU’s legal team at the appeal decision in the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Both parties were desperate to win the case and get the Force kicked out so they could start the process of delivering the 2018 competition draw.

That draw is already in a draft stage and has been presented to broadcasters for review.

A final schedule is set to be released publicly in a fortnight.

RONA HOPPING BACK TO NRL?

THE Parramatta Eels have emerged as candidates for the signature of new Wallaby Curtis Rona.

The winger is on the market after the axing of the Force and despite making his Test debut for Australia in the Bledisloe Cup against the All Blacks last month, is being chased to return to the NRL.

WALLABIES TEAM TO FACE SPRINGBOKS

Rona’s remaining season with the Force is effectively null and void now the club won’t play in Super Rugby next year, and the Eels are in the hunt after losing tryscoring machine Semi Radradra to French rugby powerhouse Toulon.

Curtis Rona scores on debut.

Meanwhile, Wallabies hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau is moving closer to an overseas move.

The rake is fuming at the cutting of the Force and wants out — knowing he qualifies for Australia under the Giteau Law having played 73 Tests.

Adam Coleman, brothers Dane and Ross Haylett-Petty, Richard Hardwick and Jono Lance are set to join Melbourne Rebels along with coach Dave Wessels, while Bill Meakes is tipped to join NSW Waratahs.

A THORN IN STILES’ SIDE

Brad Thorn is a big hit in Queensland rugby. Picture: Annette Dew

THERE are persistent rumours that former All Black Brad Thorn will take over as head coach of Queensland Reds imminently.

That will come as a shock to Nick Stiles, who is contracted for another year and held high-powered meetings with Reds chief executive Richard Barker and head of high performance Sam Cordingley on Thursday.

But sources at Queensland suggest that Stiles could be rolled in weeks, replaced by Thorn, who would be assisted by Tony McGahan and Phil Mooney.

The Reds have blundered a number of coaching selections in recent years but Thorn is quickly earning praise among players and within the inner Wallabies sanctum after being involved in camps.

BIG EMU’S BIG FUTURE

IT’S been a tough old year again for Penrith in Shute Shield but they are making some ground with their coach Julian Huxley agreeing to another season at the foot of the mountain.

Huxley is also head coach of the Sydney Rays and has brought young Emus prop Richie Vaihu into his match day 23 for the big game against the Greater Sydney Rams on Sunday at Macquarie Uni.

Vaihu is in his first year of senior footy (he captained Penrith colts in 2016) and has done everything that has been asked of him at loose-head on and off the field at the Emus. He’s even training with a wider training group at the Waratahs.

“I’m the first to admit that I don’t know the intricacies of front row play but I keep getting told that Richie does a lot of stuff right,” Huxley said.

Vaihu will come on at some stage of the match against the Rams and it will be a moment celebrated quietly by the good people fighting the good fight for the game out west.

CROSSING THE GREAT DIVIDE

THE ARU could split their Sevens training programs between Sydney and Brisbane from next year.

While Narrabeen has become the home of the Sevens programs for men and women, they’ll move to Moore Park shortly once the new ARU building is complete. But the QRU-owned Ballymore is a heavily under-utilised venue.

If Australia’s gold-medal winning women, and the young men’s teams can base themselves in Brisbane during the colder winter months, it will give the QRU grounds to lobby the government for funding given Sevens is an Olympic sport.

Originally published as Cameron Clyne’s crazy asking price to billionaire Andrew Forrest revealed